Guide – Sustainable Event Management

Published by:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Registered offces
Bonn und Eschborn, Germany

Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36 + 40
53113 Bonn, Germany
T +49 228 4460-0
F +49 228 4460-17 65

Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1-5
65760 Eschborn, Germany
T +49 61 96 79-0
F +49 61 96 79-11 15

E [email protected]
I www.giz.de

Contact:
[email protected]

Responsible:
Frau Elke Winter (GIZ)

Text and editing:

Bianca Linder (GIZ)

Collaboration:
Ann-Kathrin Layunta Molina, Julia Landgrebe Anthes, Marie-Luise Becker, Sonja Harnau, Bianca Linder (GIZ)

Design concept and typesetting:

design-werk.com, Nikolai Krasomil

URL references:
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Bonn, March 2018

‘Shaping sustainability together and
implementing it in business’

Driving sustainable development forward in the spirit of Agenda 2030 is not simply a task for the world community
and its individual countries. If we are to achieve national and international goals, every company is called upon to
contribute through sustainable corporate processes and responsible action – and for GIZ in particular, this is both a
mission and an obligation.

Our commitment to sustainability must be realised at This document is based on This will help you to organise your
both corporate and performance levels of the company. the 2016 GIZ Navigator event efficiently and effectively, and
Numerous self-commitments, such as GIZ participation in and the Guidelines for the
the United Nations Global Compact and our commitment Sustainable Organisation
to design it in a climate-friendly and
to its ten principles, lend weight to this aspiration. How- of BMUB (Federal Minis- socially-compatible way, thus promoting
ever, GIZ is also expected to lead the way as a sustainable try for the Environment, our concept of sustainable
company – and this is extremely important in terms of our Nature Conservation,
credibility. Building and Nuclear Safety) and UBA (Federal Envi-
ronmental Agency) events. Checklists were drawn up and
Events in particular offer enormous potential for making overviews of sustainable hotels, event rooms and catering
the concept of sustainability tangible in all its four dimen- companies for the Bonn and Eschborn locations were com-
sions of social responsibility, ecological balance, political piled. The checklists can be used individually for prioritis-
participation and economic performance – and underlining ing and for adding comments.
corporate values through specific actions. Sustainable event
management encompasses a multitude of possible measures As it is neither possible to provide a complete list of all
in a total of seven fields of activity, such as conservation of aspects at this point, nor to include all the diverse event
resources in the fields of catering, mobility and building formats and general conditions in detail, you should regard
management – and many sustainable event management the guide as an encouragement to question familiar pro-
measures can be transferred directly to everyday office life, cesses and procedures and to check them for sustainability
resulting in more sustainability in the company as a whole. aspects. In the scope of the fields of activity, the individual
measures can also apply mutatis mutandis in the field
This guide introduces the topic of Sustainable Event Man- structure. It depends on the country-specific context which
agement and offers practical guidance, including a phase measures are suitable. This should not mean more work,
model which shows the task packages of sustainable event but instead should encourage more creativity. The integra-
organisation in chronological order. This is followed by tion of sustainable event management at GIZ is a process
a more detailed description of the seven fields of activity. that should be designed together with the staff, enabling
And last but not least, the guide provides practice-oriented the guide to be continuously updated and supplemented
checklists, which will give you a variety of references to through their practical experiences.
each field of activity. You can take what is possible and
relevant for your event from these checklists and add any
other items that suit your specific purposes. Do you have any questions or suggestions?
If so, please write to us at [email protected] or
contact us personally.

Content
Phase model 2
Fields of activity with checklists 3
Measurability 11
Further links 12

1
Phase model

When organising and running events, sustainability aspects should be systematically included right from the start.
Depending on the phase of the event organisation, different aspects are important:

Phase I: Design

The relevant stakeholders areto be identified in step 1. In step 2, possible potential for savings is to be analysed.
In the third step, the extent to which sustainability aspects can be implemented is analysed. This analysis should
address the principles of gender mainstreaming as well as the opportunities for participation and full access for
persons with disabilities too. Successively building up the targeted goals or the number of measures from event to
event can have a more motivating effect than taking on too much from the outset. It is not a question of addressing
the fields of activity as comprehensively and completely as possible, but rather of focusing on implementing those
aspects that are controllable and essential in the respective context.

Phase II: Communication & Information

Another important component is internal and external communication and information, not only with regard to
stakeholders, but also with regard to the company‘s own documentation, and this aspect must be taken into
account as early as the design phase, enabling information to be passed on at an early stage. Communication on
sustainability aspects is also important for the acceptance of the approach. It is essential to inform not only guests
about the specific measures, but also all of the stakeholders involved in an event, such as event personnel, etc..
This applies to events of all sizes. Information and criteria for selecting the venue, measures to reduce CO2 emis-
sions, etc. ensure a transparent event and raise the awareness of those involved. At the same time, it should also
be openly stated where compromises have been made in order to prevent misunderstandings and to avoid being
accused of ‚green washing‘.

Phase III: Implementation

How can sustainability be integrated as a cross-cutting theme on the day of the event?
When staging an event, it is not only important to provide information about sustainability aspects in advance. It
is also relevant to have a local contact person who can provide expert support for specific questions on the topic
of sustainability. If the questions involve complex issues, they should be included in the follow-up to the event.

Phase IV: Follow-up

After the event, an evaluation should be carried out to help reflect on the essential and controllable aspects and
to ensure comparability with other or recurring events. The names of providers and local stakeholders who have
made a valuable contribution to sustainability should be forwarded to the Sustainability Office in order to include
them in the overviews so that they can be used for future events. The satisfaction of the participants determined
in terms of various sustainability aspects can also be used as an indicator for the design of future events.

2
Fields of activity

Sustainability plays a significant role in political and public debate, and it is also becoming more and more
important at events, both for GIZ and for other stakeholders.

Video conferences and live streams can only partially content and formal requirements of the event. Events are
replace face-to-face meetings. Conferences, specialist dia- like a business card of our company.
logues, annual meetings and major planning and moni-
toring meetings will continue to be held here in Germany The fields of activity outlined below are illustrated by means
and abroad – and this makes it all the more important of measures. The prioritisation represents the relevance and
to systematically integrate sustainability aspects into the controllability of the measures. The ‘Comments’ column
planning process for all GIZ events at an early stage. The allows individual documentation to be entered.
sustainability goals must be brought into line with the

Mobility

Guest Event location

management & accommo-
dation

Waste Sustainable
management procurement

Energy
Catering
& climate

3
Guest management
For needs-oriented planning it is not only necessary to The ‘No-Show Rate’1 can be calculated based on these
keep track of the feedback from the invited guests. It is also experiences. Events can also be compared with one other
important to monitor the behaviour of the guests during on the basis of the no-show rates, general conclusions can
the entire registration process. be drawn from them and recommendations shared with
colleagues.

Guest management

Theme Measure Priority2 Comments

Information Disseminate information to stakehold- 1 2
management ers at an early stage

Make information material 1 2

available digitally

Create a website for major 1 2

events – the information can
always be kept up-to-date

Create barrier-free access to confer- 1 2

ence materials, e.g. for persons with
visual and hearing disabilities

Communicate the sustainable measures 1 2

in the invitation and registration process
as well as in the programme

Use digital advertising columns 1 2

for information sharing instead of
printed products

Guests Create and use a stakeholder map 1 2

In digital participant 1 2
management, enable feedback by
email or via the website

Remind already-registered 1 2
participants that they can cancel
(this will reduce the no-show rate)

Use name tags that are reusable 1 2

Use ‘textile stickers’ for a 1 2

one-day event

Reacquire badges and other 1 2

materials e.g. via an incentive
system, perhaps in the form of
a competition

Follow-up Determine perception and satisfaction 1 2

electronically during and after the
event, for example through electronic
voting or electronic feedback forms

Electronic reporting 1 2

1 The No-Show Rate refers to the calculation of the numbers and refers to the persons who do not attend despite having confirmed their participation.
For free events, a no-show rate of 40-60% can be expected.
2 The priorities are based on the Guidelines for the Sustainable Organisation of BMUB and UBA Events, and on empirical data derived from event
management – they are, however individually adaptable.

4
Mobility
The participants will be on the road a lot during the event, share of the event’s CO2 emissions. These environmental
as they may have to travel to and from the event itself, and impacts can be reduced, however, by ensuring short travel
commute between the event venue, their accommodation, distances, low-emission transport and a venue that is easily
the city centre, the airport and the railway station within accessible. Think about how to avoid CO2 emissions (and
the city or region where the event is being held. The length to compensate for them where necessary) at an early stage
of the trips and the chosen means of transport will have and communicate your ideas and suggestions in advance to
an impact on the CO2 emission and air pollution, and the participants, providers and staff involved.
the guests’ mobility behaviour will account for the lion’s

Mobility
Theme Measure Priority Comments
Planning Check whether a face-to-face 1 2
event is necessary – a virtual
meeting might be an option

Ensure that the event location is 1 2

relatively close to the participants

Consider public transport connections 1 2

Take international/national connections 1 2

by direct flights into consideration

Plan short walking and cycling routes 1 2

for arrivals and departures, and
between the venue location and the
participants’ accommodation

Select event times that enable 1 2

participants to arrive and depart
by public transport

Arrival and Provide information on the use of en­­vi­ 1 2

departure ronmentally-friendly means of transport

Provide easily-understood route 1 2

descriptions on how to reach the
venue, possibly by integrating apps

Set up shuttle services and let the 1 2

participants know about them in advance

Select sustainability-conscious 1 2
providers for passenger transport

Provide rental bicycles and address 1 2

the safety aspects involved or refer
the participants to relevant providers

Create incentives for using public 1 2

and environmentally-friendly means
of transport

Organise car-pooling and let the par- 1 2

ticipants know about it in advance

Check for German Railways’ bargain 1 2

offers (e.g. event tickets?)

Install a link to a CO2 compensation 1 2

calculator in the registration form

Local Use a guidance system to direct 1 2

infrastructure cyclists to the bicycle parking spaces

5
Veranstaltungsort und Unterbringung
Event venues and accommodation for the participants providers’ information on their own internal sustainability
should be evaluated not only on cost and performance management often shows their willingness and ability to
aspects, but also on social and environmental criteria. implement sustainability-oriented measures.
There are appropriate certifications for hotels and event
venues that facilitate the evaluation of the premises – and

Event venue and accommodation

Theme Measure Priority Comments

Avoid creating Select the venue and the 1 2
traffic accommodation as close to each
other as possible

Ensure good connections to public 1 2

transport

Avoid overnight No overnight stays, or as few as 1 2

stays possible

Selecting venue Use sustainably-certified hotels and 1 2

and hotel event venues (e.g. Environmental
Management and Audit Scheme
certification (EMAS), Green Certified,
European eco-label, etc., etc.)

If no certification or the like is avail- 1 2

able, prepare action plans for the
individual fields of activity

Ensure barrier-free access to the 1 2

event venue and accommodation

Event location Unwinding and recreational opportuni- 1 2

ties for breaks and for the aftermath
of the day’s event

Event function rooms with sufficient 1 2

daylight

Equipping the location (minimum amount 1 2

of furniture etc. to be delivered)

Number and variety of seating options 1 2

Number and variety of washrooms, 1 2

e.g. gender segregation, barrier-free
access to toilets

Hotel Dispense with minibars 1 2

Special regional Depending on the event venue, 1 2

features develop a regional and theme-specific
concept

Advertise the region’s attractions 1 2

Inform the guests about the cultural 1 2

highlights on offer in the region

6
Nachhaltige Beschaffung
Environmental and social criteria must also be taken into must always be aware of the German Government’s pro-
account when procuring conference materials, decorations curement guidelines, and sustainability aspects must be
and other products, as well as when selecting service pro- included as a minimum or award criteria in your invita-
viders. Conference materials in particular are a simple and tions to tender. The Sustainable Procurement Report
efficient starting point for making a statement about the and the Sustainability Compass also provide guidance for
sustainability of the event. Decorations can also support sustainable procurement. If you don’t select the services
the theme of the event or reflect the cultural characteris- directly, but instead order them via the provider of the
tics of the region, thus creating awareness of sustainability premises, ask the providers about sustainability measures
among the participants. When selecting products, you practised by their service providers.

Sustainable Procurement
Theme Measure Priority Comments
Environmentally- Procurement of products and 1 2
friendly procurement services that meet the criteria for
the ‘Blue Angel’ eco-label or the
European eco-label

When selecting suppliers, take their 1 2

level of competence in environmental-
ly-oriented management into account
Conference materials Avoid paper, printing and postal 1 2
services

If necessary, use 100% recycled 1 2

paper (Blue Angel or equivalent)
or paper from a certified source
(Forest Stewardship Council, FSC) –
and print on both sides of the
paper in black & white

Dispense with give-aways 1 2

Ensure that all the products are 1 2

reusable

Purchase regional, local and seasonal 1 2

products

Use environmentally-friendly and/or 1 2

bio-degradable (cleaning) products,
ideally with product labels

Upcycling3 of products 1 2

Services Include minimum or award criteria in 1 2

the terms of reference (TOR)

Short travel distances for service pro- 1 2

viders or use of low-emission means
of transport
Decoration Consider cultural particularities when 1 2
decorating

Flower arrangements from the region, 1 2

use seasonal products and comply
with social standards

3 Upcycling means e.g. extending the life expectancy of a banner by recycling it as a bag or by donating it for other purposes.

7
Catering
Successful catering is a quality feature of every event. fair-trading products are not available everywhere, but the
Sustainable accents can also be set here, e.g. through supply is still growing, and small local suppliers have often
regional and seasonal foodstuffs or a balanced range of specialised in this niche.
vegetarian and vegan dishes. Organically-certified and

Catering

Theme Measure Priority Comments

Product selection Needs-based quantities of food – 1 2
note the no-show rate

Ask the caterer about their ‘excess 1 2

surcharge’ 4 to avoid leftovers,
because

Use fresh produce 1 2

Use regional, local and seasonal 1 2

organic and Fair Trade foods

Use certified products (organic, Marine 1 2

Stewardship Council (MSC), fair trade etc.)

Avoid using small portioning and 1 2

packaging units (e.g. sugar, milk etc.)
and disposable packaging

Catering Always offer at least one vegetarian 1 2

alternative for the participants.
Reduce the amount of fish and
meat on offer

Offer a balanced range of food and 1 2

drinks in the socio-cultural context,
e.g. halal or vegan

When selecting the catering partners, 1 2

check their compliance with the
quality standards of the German
Nutrition Society (DGE)

Develop a concept for dealing 1 2

with leftover food, e.g. use
best-residue boxes

Schedule enough coffee and snack 1 2

breaks for relaxation, and provide
lighter snacks during these breaks,
such as seasonal fruit

Drinking water Provide tap water in decanters or 1 2

water dispensers

Offer drinks only in glass bottles 1 2

4 Caterers usually calculate 30% more meals to be provided for than the expected number of participants.

8
Energy and climate
The ‘Energy and Climate’ field of activity plays a crucial Climate-influencing energy consumption occurs when
role as an overarching theme, e.g. in the mobility of the participants travel to & from the event and when they
participants and the selection of conference buildings and move from place to place on site. Heating, air condition-
hotels at the venue location. This independent approach ing, lighting and technology in conference buildings also
is intended to underline and focus the organisers’ atten- consume energy.
tion on the environmental significance of the theme.

Energy and climate

Theme Measure Priority Comments
Buildings, energy Consider energy supply and consump- 1 2
consumption tion when selecting conference buil-
dings and hotels – orientation to an
Environmental Management and Audit
Scheme registration (EMAS) can help
you with this

Energy-optimised air conditioning and 1 2

heating technology (BMUB/UBA recom-
mendation: do not heat conference
rooms above 20°C and do not cool
them down to more than 6°C below
the outside temperature); lower the
temperature in unused rooms

Electricity Procure electricity from renewable 1 2

sources, e.g. green electricity
providers, but if this is not possible,
compensate by using e.g. Renewable
Energy Certificate Systems5

Equipment Use energy-efficient equipment 1 2

Use equipment that meets the Blue 1 2

Angel eco-label criteria

In the case of devices that are not 1 2

used for example during breaks, either
switch them to energy-saving mode or
turn them off completely

Climate-neutral Calculate event-related CO2 1 2

events emissions6

Determine event data together with 1 2

the participants, e.g. as part of the
management of participants or during
the event itself

Compensate unavoidable greenhouse 1 2

gas emissions by the event organiser
or participants

Raise the awareness of the partici- 1 2

pants, e.g. by using signs

5 (RECS)
6 This calculation can be supplied by numerous providers; examples are listed under ‘Instruments’ in the following links.

9
Waste management
In this field of activity, the dual aim is to prevent or (catering, conference materials) as well as to the hotel and
reduce the generation of waste and to ensure efficient the preparation phase (dissemination of handouts/confer-
waste separation. This applies to the conference location ence documents).

Waste management

Theme Measure Priority Comments

Catering on site Avoid small and disposable 1 2
packaging, especially for milk,
sugar, tea bags etc.

Use reusable plates and dishes, 1 2

and reusable cutlery and glasses

Distribute leftover food to non- 1 2

profit organisations or use
best-residue boxes

Packaging material at Minimise packaging – for instance 1 2

the conference venue use reusable products

Waste separation Demand that suppliers take back 1 2

and disposal packaging

Select materials based on their 1 2

reusability

Ensure that waste is disposed of 1 2

in a proper and environmental-
ly-friendly manner

Set up waste containers for collect- 1 2

ing separate types of waste

Separate the different types of 1 2

kitchen waste

Water consumption Provide information for participants 1 2

e.g. on how to save water in
washrooms

Use effective water management 1 2

or measures to reduce tap water
consumption, such as rainwater
utilisation and water-saving taps

10
measurability

How do I measure the success of the approach? A qualitative and quantitative results assessment for sustainable
events.

What is the added value of an event if it meets sustainabil- At the end of the event, a Sustainable event management is
ity standards? balance sheet and brief doc- one of the goals in our 2016-2020
umentation of the resources
This question has several facets: on the one hand, the actually saved should be
environmental programme: We promote
organiser, in this case GIZ, presents itself as a company for prepared and communicat- sustainable event management within
which sustainability is a core business and as an organisa- ed. This can additionally the company and we orientate our
tion which takes this topic seriously, practising it in a mea- sensitise and motivate the implementation of events to inter­
surable way. On the other hand, sustainable events demon- client and participants
strably reduce CO2 emissions. And last but not least, these alike. For smaller events,
national standards.
events help to make commissioning parties (clients) and only a few essential aspects need be noted.
guests aware of the topic of sustainability.
Sustainable event management can always generate added
How can this be checked? On the one hand through hard value – regardless of whether the sustainability is measur-
and easily-measurable (quantitative) factors, including able or not. The sustainable organisation of events contrib-
for example CO2 emissions, which can be determined by utes to the company’s credibility.
means of a CO2 calculator. However, soft factors that can-
not be directly quantified are also important. One of these
factors, for example, is the evaluation by guests and clients,
which can be determined by means of a feedback form
after the event.

11
Further links

Further links to sustainable event management

Guidelines and orientation

Guidelines for the Sustainable Organisation of Events (BMUB)
Guidelines for the Avoidance of Food Waste in Catering (UBA)
Sustainable Procurement Compass
Seal clarity for sustainable purchasing
Ramp-up.me: Planning full-access events
Too good for the bin
No-show rate

Certification and standards

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
Fair trade tourism
Fair trade products
Global Compact
Global Reporting Initiative
International Labour Organization/Labour Standards

Instruments
Online CO2 calculator from the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Energy Agency
myclimate event calculator
Green Score Card
Tools from the field structure
Digital advertising columns

Examples of sustainable events

Good practice: Stakeholder Day 2016
Annual Conference of the Council for Sustainable Development

12
13
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Registered offices
Bonn and Eschborn, Germany

Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36 + 40 Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1 - 5
53113 Bonn, Germany 65760 Eschborn, Germany
T +49 228 44 60 - 0 T +49 61 96 79 - 0
F +49 228 44 60 - 17 66 F +49 61 96 79 - 11 15

E [email protected]
I www.giz.de